W Golf

Golf Championship Opening Day Complete, Women in Fifth

Apr 23, 2012

PINEHURST, N.C. – After Sunday's action was washed out with rain, the King College men's and women's golf teams were back in action in an amended Monday schedule. The men's team played 36 holes and sit in first place with 18 holes left to play while at the midway point of the women's tournament, the Lady Tornado sit in the middle of the pack.

Adrian Kibsey and Richard Powell possess the top two spots in the men's overall standings while the Tornado have three top-10 finishers after 36 holes of play on Monday. Kibsey, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, shot the best opening day score with a 145 (72-73) at Pinehurst Country Club. The All-Conference first teamer currently holds a two stroke lead over teammate and second place finisher, Richard Powell.

Powell, a Hixon, Tenn., native, followed up Kibsey's performance and holds a share of second place with a 36-hole score of 147 (74-73). Senior Josh Bamberger (Waterloo, Ontario) rounded out the list of top-10 performers with a share of eighth place overall and a 150 (74-76) scorecard.

The men are currently in first place as a team (297-289-595) out of the 10-team field. Barton College is two shots of the pace (597) while Belmont Abbey (606) sits 11 shots back in third place.

The women's team is led by Esther Gandarias (Madrid, Spain) who posted a top-10 performance in her first 18 holes. The junior shot an 82 on the day and the fourth-best back nine with a 39. She is tied for ninth overall. Cortnee Young (Cleveland, Tenn.) was consistent, putting up a pair of 42 scores on each end of the course en route to a 12th place finish.

The Lady Tornado are preceded in the standings by leader Queens University of Charlotte (312) and are only five shots from fourth place Erskine College (340). They are ahead of sixth place Belmont Abbey (357) by 12 shots.

Both teams will play their final 18 holes on Tuesday, April 24 from Pinehurst Country Club. The alignment of the tournament was altered on the women's side due to weather canceling Sunday's opening round. The women will now play a 36-hole tournament and the men will be scored on the full 54-hole format, as originally scheduled. The 2012 Conference Carolinas Golf Tournament is being hosted by Belmont Abbey College.